Another day at the office

The accidental theme of the day over at Question Period today was Quebec humiliation.

First it was Conservative MP Scott Reid, trying to ask a friendly question to his own government about human rights in Tibet. Whoops, though. It came out as human rights in Quebec. The House roared –  even Conservatives were laughing.

Then Liberal leader Stephane Dion strode into the foyer to tell reporters of another Conservative slam against his home province. Apparently, in the sports pages of La Presse today, the government’s own political minister for Quebec, Michael Fortier, threw cold water on hopes for the Montreal Canadiens to make it to the Stanley Cup. As one of the "personalities" asked for his prediction, Fortier says the Habs will make it through the first round, but lose to the New York Rangers in the second round.

Dion, with much consternation, denounced Fortier as "defeatist" when he came to talk to reporters this afternoon.

Time for some damage control.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told reporters he likes the way Montreal has rebounded from last year. "This is a hockey team that didn’t make the playoffs last year."

Flaherty, who grew up in Quebec, said today’s Habs reminded him of the Montreal teams when he was a boy – lots of speed, lots of goal-scoring."

Asked if he would have cheered for the Toronto Maple Leafs had they been in the playoffs, Flaherty, the Conservative GTA minister, laughed: "I don’t answer hypothetical questions."

Comments

[bob ward]

I wonder if the Cons had of O.K. the take over of MDA your blog would of been full of negative reaction of the sale??

For the FIRST time in HISTORY a Canadian Government STOOD UP for our Country in stead of big business.

This is probably one of the biggest stories in recent Canadian history and nothing.....what a joke.